Maguire Qualifies For 2016 Masters

Defeat for Matt Selt this evening against world number one Mark Selby at the Betway UK Championship means that Stephen Maguire is now guaranteed to qualify for the 2016 Dafabet Masters.

As I explained earlier in the day, a combination of Matt Selt and either Martin Gould and Liang Wenbo making it to the final in York would have seen Maguire edged out of the top 16 following the tournament, but following Selt’s defeat Maguire can now finish the tournament no lower than 16th.

Michael White’s place hangs by a thread however as victory for Liang Wenbo in tomorrow’s first semi-final would see the Chinese number two leapfrog the Welshman and reclaim a top 16 place for the first time in five years.

Victory for shock Barbican semi-finalist David Grace on the other hand would see Liang miss out and White hang on to make his debut at the Alexandra Palace next month.

Either way, by the close of play on Saturday we know the identities of the 16 players to compete in London next month.